Love's Last Act

1

The day I discovered Zac was cheating, I smashed everything in the house. The maid frantically called him multiple times.

"Mr. Saunders, Mrs. Saunders is having another fit at home."

I stood there in a daze, then slumped onto the carpet. When Zac rushed back, his face bore deep weariness.

"Sammi, what's wrong with you again?" he asked as he loosened his tie with a tired hand.

Seeing the knot he held, I had a moment of confusion. In the morning, I had tied a Windsor knot for him. But now, it was a complicated Eldredge knot - the only knot style Jemma Jacobs, his former secretary, could tie.

Back when she was still his secretary, she was always clumsy with her tasks. Yet, Zac was unusually patient with her. I had asked him the reason once, and he explained to me, "Sammi, she has that same determination you do."

At that time, I didn't think much of it, assuming he just wanted to give a newcomer in the workplace a chance.

Things only started to change when Zac began talking about her more often. Even though he kept complaining about her mistakes, there was a hidden fondness in his expression.

One day, we had a big argument, and I insisted that he should fire Jemma. He looked at me with a furrowed brow and a cold tone.

"Sammi, you always like making a big deal out of nothing."

Eventually, he reluctantly agreed. At that moment, I felt a triumphant satisfaction, as if I had won a battle. But I forgot one important thing—when a man decides to cheat, there's no way to stop it.

Zac did, in fact, replace Jemma at the company, but he also brought her into his bed and pampered her until now. He coldly watched as I remained oblivious, like a fool.

I sat on the carpet, looking up at him. "Where did Jemma go after quitting?"

In a moment, Zac's face darkened. "Is this why you had a meltdown today, being suspicious and all?"

I knew him too well, easily seeing through his anger that concealed guilt. So, I placed the photos I had received in front of him, one by one. Each picture vividly showed the intimacy between them, leaving no room for denial.

2

I tried to control my emotions, but I couldn't stop trembling all over. Faced with my persistent questions, Zac couldn't find the words.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "So, you know everything, huh?"

Zac openly recounted his past with Jemma, like it was a storyline from a typical TV drama. At first, he didn't really like the inexperienced newcomer in the workplace. However, when he faced a lot of difficulties and frustration, it was this young rookie who kept him company.

The cold wind outside blew in sharply. Zac lit a cigarette, and the smoke surrounded his face, making it hard to read his emotions.

He looked at me and said, "She's like a little ball of sunshine, always full of energy.

"Unlike you, who tends to have emotional outbursts.

"Work already gives me enough headaches, and coming home to you adds to it."

Zac rubbed his temples, looking somewhat tired. "Sammi, I am indeed worn out."

I stared at him blankly and murmured, "Then, why didn’t you suggest a divorce?"

Zac lowered his head slightly, looking at me earnestly. "Sammi, I am tired, but I've never thought of leaving you. I just need a place to catch my breath so I can continue loving you."

So, Jemma was his way to find some peace, his refuge of tenderness. It was really absurd and unbelievable. I looked at him in shock and said, "You're shameless."

Zac took a puff of his cigarette, appearing impatient and agitated. "In the beginning, I tried to be patient with you. But Sammi, your emotional outbursts, they became too much. You looked really ugly during those breakdowns. It made me feel disgusted."

3

I mustered a smile that felt even uglier than crying, as if I were tearing my heart open with scissors. "Should I be grateful that you've actually put up with me all these years?"

Zac let out a deep sigh and bent down to help me up. "Sammi, I never wanted to leave you—"

A loud ringtone interrupted him. On the other end of the call was Jemma, sounding frantic, "Zac, Lucas has a high fever."

Zac's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he stood up to leave.

"Lucas? Who's that?" I instinctively grabbed his arm, but he forcefully shook my hand off and left in long strides. Grinding my teeth, I followed him out the door, all the way to the hospital.

When I found Zac in the hospital room, he and Jemma were taking care of the child in the bed, showing concern.

That child!

I pushed the door open with a loud "bang," startling everyone. Zac turned to look at me, his eyes briefly showing panic. The child in his arms also broke free and pointed at me, asking, "Daddy, who is this lady?"

Zac bent down to kiss the child's cheek. "This is one of Daddy's friends. Be a good boy and play with Mommy for a while. Daddy needs to step out."

In that moment, my heart felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss. Taking a step forward, I stared at the child, without blinking. "You don't remember me? I'm your father's wife. And more importantly, I'm the woman whose child you killed a year ago!"

"Enough, Sammi!" Zac pulled me out of the hospital room, his face grim.

4

Zac pulled me into the stairwell, anger still apparent in his expression. "What were you saying in front of a child?"

I rubbed my wrist, which he had gripped and reddened, and questioned him, "Which part of what I said was wrong?

"Was it your 'wife' part or the one part about him causing the death of my child?"

Zac's face darkened instantly.

"That incident was an accident—" He began to defend himself.

I leaned against the hospital wall, silently watching him. "Do you even believe that yourself?"

A year ago, I rushed back from a business trip, excited to share my pregnancy news with Zac. However, upon entering our home, I found it in complete chaos. The staircase was cluttered with shattered wedding photos.

As I went upstairs to investigate, I didn't expect the staircase to be slippery from spilled shower gel. I slipped and tumbled down the stairs, resulting in the loss of the baby I was carrying.

"At that time, you told me it was your relative's child causing trouble at our house," I bitterly recalled. "That's what led to that accident. Zac Saunders, do you have any conscience?"

He tried to speak but struggled to find words. Tears streamed down my face, and my posture slumped.

"How could you, Zac Saunders? How could you?" I cried out. Losing the child haunted my nights, and I couldn't sleep. I would dream of the child, covered in blood, blaming me for not protecting him.

The accumulated grief took a toll, and my emotions spiraled out of control. I blamed myself for being careless, blamed him for not cleaning up the mess, and blamed the relative's child.

Zac, who initially felt pity and guilt, gradually grew impatient. He scolded me, calling me crazy, saying the child was too young to understand.

Little did I know, this child was actually his.